CALVERT WELCOMES AGREEMENT ON CHILD BENEFIT

Social Services Minister Lorne Calvert today said he is pleased withthe agreement reached by federal and provincial social services andinter-governmental affairs ministers at their meeting in Torontoearlier this week.

The ministers agreed to implement a National Child Benefit which wouldassist low-income children and their families and would help familieson social assistance to move into the work force.

"This is a significant achievement for this country," Calvert said. "We have a growing problem of poverty among children and families inCanada. If we are to have a strong, vibrant, prosperous country in thefuture we must address this issue, and address it very soon.

"I am very pleased that Saskatchewan has played such an important rolein placing this issue on the national agenda and in developing thisprogram proposal. Given the agreement to proceed, I am now veryhopeful that the federal government will move as quickly as possible toimplement the Benefit."

Calvert said to be effective the program will need a substantialinvestment from Ottawa. He agreed that an initial payment of $600million, with additional dollars coming later, would be a meaningfulstart to the program.

"It is critical that the federal government commit to fullimplementation over a reasonable period of time and make a significantinitial contribution," Calvert emphasized.

The National Child Benefit will provide a supplement to low-incomefamilies with children and will ensure that working families are betteroff than they would be on social assistance.

"We need to ensure that families have enough resources to be able tocontinue to take part in the workforce while providing for theirchildren and youth," Calvert said. "Over time those families willbecome more independent and the children will be better able to becontributing members of society as adults."

Calvert said he is also pleased that all provincial governments haveagreed to re-invest any savings they receive from individuals movingoff social assistance and into the workforce, back into programs forlow-income children and families. The new benefit will complementSaskatchewan's social assistance re-design initiatives.

"It has been said that the strength of a nation is in the strength ofthe home," Calvert said. "Children are our greatest resource, they arein fact our future. By investing in them now, we are ensuring aneconomically and socially strong Canada in the years to come.

"The soul of a nation is gauged by the way it treats its mostvulnerable citizens. I am proud of the work we are doing to build astrong society for the future," Calvert said.